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Learn 144 Piano Chords in an Hour Using Simple Shapes (Udemy.com)

Instant recall of 144 piano chords from day one — no sheet music, no scales, no theory. Play songs today

Created by: Simon Glenister

Last updated April 2026

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What you will learn

  • Instant recall of 144 piano chords using a simple shapes method — in under an hour
  • Pro tips for making those chords sound impressively musical
  • Learn any song you want by finding its chords online and playing them immediately
  • Play with both hands without reading sheet music or learning scales
  • Never forget a chord again — because you understand the pattern, not just the shape
  • Build songs and write your own music using the chord toolkit from this course

How it compares

Against the other 45 rated Udemy courses in Piano on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.7 out of 5higher than 57% of them
  • Reviews604#15 of 46 by number of reviews
  • Length2 hoursshorter than 84% of them
  • Last updatedApril 2026more recently than 93% of them

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Course Description

The problem with how piano is usually taught

Most beginners are told to start with scales, read sheet music, and work through exercises for months before they play a single song they recognise. It's slow, it's frustrating — and most people quit before it gets fun.

There's a better way. And it takes about an hour.

What this course does differently

This course is built around one insight: piano chords follow simple, repeatable shapes. Once you understand the pattern, you don't need to memorise hundreds of individual chords — you just apply the formula. In under an hour, you'll have 144 chords at your fingertips.

No sheet music. No scales. No theory overload. Just shapes, patterns, and songs.

What you'll be able to do by the end

• Play 144 chords — major, minor, seventh, augmented, diminished, sus2, sus4, slash chords, inversions and more

• Pick up any song online and work out how to play it yourself

• Play songs with both hands without reading a single note of music

• Understand the simple logic behind all chords so you never forget them

• Write your own music using the chord tools you've built

• Make chords sound musical — not just correct — using simple pro techniques

• Sound accomplished far faster than traditional lessons would allow


What else is included

The course also includes a complete chord dictionary — over 70 short reference lessons covering every major, minor, 7th, augmented, diminished, sus2, sus4 and slash chord across all 12 keys. Once you've learned the system, the dictionary is yours to keep as a permanent reference — dip into it whenever you need a specific chord, or use it to explore further at your own pace.


Who is this for?

• Complete beginners — no experience or musical knowledge needed

• Adults who tried piano before and stopped — this approach is different

• People who want to play songs they love, not just exercises

• Anyone who finds traditional music lessons slow, boring or confusing

• People learning on a keyboard, digital piano, or even a piano app on their phone


Why this method works

Most songs use only four or five chords. Once you understand the shapes system, you can find the chords to virtually any song in seconds and start playing it immediately. No years of groundwork required.

The shapes aren't a shortcut — they're how chords actually work. You're not learning a hack, you're learning the real underlying logic in a way that sticks.

About your instructor

Simon has 20 years of experience as a professional touring musician, 4 record contracts, and millions of YouTube views. He holds a post-graduate qualification in Education from Cambridge University and has spent 15 years teaching music to underserved youth in some very challenging circumstances,  — which means he knows exactly how to explain complicated things, quickly simply and get results.

He's taken everything he knows about what actually gets people playing quickly and built it into this course. No filler. No padding. Just the fastest route from complete beginner to playing the songs you love.

What students say

“I have been playing for about 30 minutes a day for about 7 days after following about 70% of the course. I have just finished playing chorus and verse of Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”, both hands! I’m a complete beginner and I have wanted to play an instrument all of my life. There was a moment, brief but a moment, where I wasn’t thinking about where my hands were but just enjoying playing the piano.” — Verified student


“It’s so silly they don’t teach piano like this from the start. I can’t believe that it took me 2 music teachers and 1 year of frustration before I found someone who could just explain it.” — Verified student


“Making something that appears extremely complicated into something simple and understandable is an art. This course is the first I have ever done that had me hooked from the first minute.” — Gerry, verified student


Rated 4.7/5 from 578 ratings · 18,000+ students across all platforms

What you need

• A piano, keyboard, or free piano app on your phone or tablet

• About an hour of your time

• No prior musical knowledge whatsoever


30-day money-back guarantee — if it doesn’t work for you, you pay nothing.

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Instructor Details

Simon Glenister

Simon has 20 years of experience as a professional touring musician, 4 record contracts, and millions of YouTube views. He holds a post-graduate qualification in Education from Cambridge University and has spent 15 years teaching music to people in settings like Youth Justice — which means he knows exactly how to explain complicated things in the easiest quickest ways to get results.

He's taken everything he knows about what actually gets people playing quickly and built it into this course. No filler. No padding. Just the fastest route from complete beginner to playing the songs you love.

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Reviews

4.7

604 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Harry McNabb on 7/1/2026

As an adult learner with no musical background, I found "Learn 144 Piano Chords in an Hour Using Simple Shapes" to be an excellent course. The instructor does a great job of demystifying piano chords by using simple visual patterns and memorable images that make the concepts much easier to understand and remember. One thing that worked especially well for me was going back and repeating some of the sections after spending a little time practicing on my own. The material made even more sense the second time through, and I found that approach really reinforced what I had learned. If you're new to piano and want a straightforward, practical way to learn chords without feeling overwhelmed, I highly recommend this course.

By Mattia Nicoletti on 8/4/2025

This course is amazing. I followed lots of piano courses, and they were all boring, or promising to be fun or very serious. Simon on the contrary breaks all these rules, and if you are a visual learner this is your course. In one hour you will be surprised about touching the keys and playing chords like magic. Simon is also funny, he does not waste words (and time) and he teaches in a great way. I followed tents of courses on any topic and this is the best course so far on Udemy (and not only on Udemy). First of all because it keeps the promises. Bravo!

By Kevin Watson on 1/17/2025

A very simplified method of getting up to speed with identifying and playing basic chords in preparation for more formal studies. I enjoyed the relaxed and informal style of the teacher who also explained some basic ways to sound musical whilst practicng said chords. Good stuff ! It is also worth checking out the companion course about scales but I felt that this information could have been included in a single unified course to give maximum value for money and a 5 star rating.

By Ricardo Estrada on 8/11/2020

No está mal pero si le entendí pero yo ya tengo algo de práctica

By Martin Fry on 7/30/2020

Yes very good. Just a remark on the material: I think you should review your use of " 's " - the difference between "its" (possessive pronoun) and "it's" (contraction of "it is.") The plural of "arpeggio" is not "arpeggio's" but "arpeggios;" the plural of "formula" is not "formula's" but "formulas" You have these consistently wrong in this course and it would make a lot of difference if you had someone professionally proof-read what you have written

By David Townsend on 5/13/2020

I have been playing for about 30 mins a day for about 7 days after following about 70% of the course. I have just finished playing chorus and verse of Sam Smith's "Stay with me", both hands! I'm a complete beginner and I have wanted to play an instrument all of my life. There was a moment, brief but a moment, where I wasn't thinking about where my hands were but just enjoying playing the piano. It ranks alongside holding a proper conversation in a foreign language. I can' t recommend this course enough it's short, easy to follow and it's inspired me on to a more complex course. Thank you for sharing your method and not wrapping it unnecessarily in a 20-hour course. Fantastic.

By Derek Burns on 6/6/2019

When I went through this course I liked the first half (how to make up to 48 chords) etc. But I really wanted to know how to play songs using the chords ie how many times to play each one/how to liven up my playing etc. And I wasn't getting that. BUT, Simon was in the middle of an upgrade and the new videos, hints and tips are spot on. The course is now actually better than I thought it would be. I've taken longer courses, that were a bit arduous, so it's refreshing how he can pack so much information in an hour. Highly recommended whether you already did the course and were thinking of going through it again, or if you intend buying it.

By Soumen C on 6/6/2019

Honestly, this course is pure magic and a life changer. Simon, with his vast experience and pleasant personality, is truly a versatile teacher who knows how to teach efficaciously. Within a minute or two you will find the joy of learning and lose all your worries with keyboard/piano and forget your struggles and after one hour you will enjoy your newly acquired skill and begin to sound like a pro player. If you are a newbie, all your previous stumbling, fumbling, stammering and hammering on the brain will be vanished magically. I spent my hard earned money on many piano / keyboard courses. But in my humble opinion this is the best one. Thank you a ton Simon. Hats off to you, sir.

By Sandra Void on 1/30/2017

I am enjoying this course. I understand the technique and pattern presented. Increasing my chord knowledge from 7 to 48 is absolutely phenomenal and you make it easy to remember. I started beginner piano at the age of 63. I am an online at home student. Having studied music theory and reviewing a variety of instructors and their methods, I would rank your course as an excellent way to learn how to play a melody very easily. I aspire to become a gospel musician and am looking forward to applying your chord technique in my song selections. Sandra

By Greg R on 6/27/2015

Simon’s teaching style is simple and direct. And his method is absolutely amazing. I think he could be called a ‘master locksmith’ because he unlocked the piano keyboard for me so that in under one hour I learned all the keys, 48 chords and how to play with both hands. There are no words to describe my excitement. I have never had piano lessons and have struggled to play by ear for years. And yet after taking this course, I sat down at my dusty keyboard and played one of my favorite Beatle’s songs “Let It Be” with both hands. This course far exceeded my expectations and I can highly recommend Simon as a teacher and this course for making dreams come true.

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Overall Score : 94 / 100